Flexible tubing is used in numerous applications, including many medical and medical-related applications. For example, flexible tubing may be used to deliver parenteral fluids and/or medication to a patient intravenously. The flexible tubing may also be used in connection with blood dialysis, among other uses.
Often, when flexible tubing is utilized, it is necessary or desirable to prevent flow of fluid by occluding the tubing. This may be accomplished by clamping the tubing walls together so that there is essentially no open cross sectional area within the tubing. When it is desired to resume fluid flow, it is of course necessary to open the tubing.
Various types of flexible tubing which may be used include, for example, tubing constructed of flexible polyvinyl chloride, silicone polymers and other types of polymers.
Flexible tubing is usually occluded by utilizing a clamping device having two flat surfaces that advance towards each other with a transverse section of the tubing being compressed therebetween until the tubing is closed. Clamping tubing shut in this manner can result in permanent deformation of the tubing as a result of cold working and in some cases the tube remains permanently deformed and in an essentially closed position.
A need exists for a device and method which occludes flexible tubing for an extended period of time without permanently deforming or cold working the tubing.